Machine for printing directly on metal or glass and the like



` Feb. 15, `1938. ESHURLEY MACHINE FOR PRINTING DIRECTL|YA METAL `OR GLASS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Feb? 14, 1934 4 sheets-sheet 1 M`-H N INVENTOR. I

lllllUlHlL Feb. 15, 193s. l MACHINE FR PRINTING DIRECTLYON METAL OR -GLASS AND THE LIKE original Filed Feb. v14, 1954 4 sheets-sheet 2 l FT SHURLE'Y j 2,108,597"v MACHINE FOR PRINTING DIRECTLY 0N METAL y0R GLASS lANDTHE LIKE F. SHURLEY Feb. 15,1938.

original Filed Feb. I4, 1934 4 Sheets-sheet s 1815.151938. P SHURLEY y 2,108,597

MACHINE Fon PRINTING DIRECTLY oN ,METAL OR GLASS vANDTHE LIKE origina; Filed Feb. 14l 1934 4 sheets-sheet' 4 n .I 1.60" n A- l f 192 l 15 12 1418595 32 14 if; 193. I )in 187 f l 189 16o,

1.96 P [so 15o v/ i? 48 137 lo 186 1.95 189 1.98 Us 49 16's' l f 4l 48 Patented, Feb; 1s, 193e UNITED STATES MACHINE 'Fon PRINTING DIRECTLY 05N! yMETAL on epass AND 'rim una Frederick shui-ley, salt Lake city, Utah, assigner to Cerami c Machinery Distributors Limited,

Windsor, Ontario. Canada, a. company incorporate of Canada marea for abandoned application serial No.

711,136, February 14, 193

4. This application December 30, 1935, Serial N0. 56,833

14 Claims.' (Cl. 101-38) My invention relates to a machine for printing directly upon the surface of metal, glassware, pottery and thelike, sch as cans, bottles, jars, bulbs, and any description of containers, applicable to having thereon designs, trade-marks, or other insignia, whether ornamental or commercial, and which shall be permanent and add materially to the usefulness of the article so marked or decorated, and it has particular reference to a machine by means of which such marks, designs, or insignia may be printed in one or more colors.

The present application is a substitute for my application for Machine for printing directly on metal or glass and the like, Serial No. 711,136, led February 14, 1934.

It is customary to print labels on paper or other sheet material and to aflix such labels to the cans, bottles orgother containers, but those can be removed easily and other labels applied thereto, thus making it unsatisfactory as well as expensive.

Among the salient objects of my inventionA are: to provide a machine which will receive,

hold and print, in oneor more colors, formed cans of any description,A glass bottles, jars and containers of various materials in very much the same manner that printing presses receive,.hold and print paper sheets, cards and the like and to do it more or less automatically. accurately and rapidly; to provide a machine of the character referred to in which there is a movable table for holding the dies, cuts, stencils or other printing means, whereby said table moves back and forth from a position in which it receives the ink or coating means to a position where the printing is done upon the article to be printed as said table moves in engagement therewith; to provide means for receiving and-holding the artilcle to be printed, such means being adapted, when the article to be printed is round, to revolve said article in synchronism with the movement of the printing table, whereby the printing is accomplished during the movement of the table to and from the article being printed; to provide holding means for the articles to be printed which use l suction` means for holding and releasing said articles; to provide in a machine of the character referred to means for inking or coating the rollers which apply said ink or coating to the printing mechanism and to also provide means whereby the inking rollers carryingthe different colors will be automatically carried over the printing mechanism without engagement therewith except that the printing mechanisms will be each engaged only by its color carrying roller, thus automatically applying twocolors to two different and cooperating printing portions of the printing mechanism; to provide in` combination f with said printing machinemeans for printing bands around the articles being printed, said band printing means being mounted to autol matically adjust their positions to the articles as said articles are turned; to provide in a machine of the character referred to a traveling table which carries one or `more ink-applying platens and also printing mechanism to be inked, said table, platens and printing mechanism moving under ink-applying rollers yieldingly mounted above said table and adapted to .be moved into and out of engagement with said platens and with the printing mechanism according to the colors carried thereby.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of one practical embodiment of my invention, taken with the accompanying four sheets of drawings, which I'will now described.

.Figure 1 is a perspective view of a printing machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of said printing machine;

Figure 3 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view taken through the machine on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the machine on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view through o-ne of the holding members; 1

Figure 6 is a similar ,view through' the cooperating holding' member;

Figure 'I is a fragmentary view in perspective of the working mechanisms located beneath the table;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a banding mechanism for printing bands on the article being printed; l

Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary portion, of a banding mechanism;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of an improvedk mechanism for distributing and `applying the ink,

4 shown in Fig. 10;

Figure 12 is'a sectional view showing a detail; Figure 13 is a sectional view taken on the line Iii-I3 of Fig. 11;-and C Figure 14 is a sectional'view taken on the line M-M of Fig, 11,

ReferringA now in detail vto the drawings, I will describe the embodiment of my invention here shown for this purpose. Two side frame members I and 2 are connected by cross members 3, 4, 5, 8, 1, and 8, whereby a rigid frame structure is erected for holding the operating mechanisms. Mounted in the lower portion of said frame strucf ture is a fixed board or table 9, supporting a mo L 'of a driving belt II.

tor M and a pump P, said motor yM being adjustably held by means of the members I8 and I8' whereby it can be adjusted to regulate the tension On the motor shaft are two driving pulleys, l2 and I4, the pulley I2 being connected through th belt I with a pulley I3, asy

Fig. 4. 'I'he pump P is'connected with a cross` pipe I1', seen in Figs. 1 and 4, connected at its opposite end with a'valve at I8, Fig. 1,'connected with a pipe i9, to the ends of which are hose connections, as'28 and 2|, which are in turn connected with vacuum cups or holding members 22 and 23, between which are held the article to be printed. Pulley I3 is mounted on shaft 24, turning in bearings 25 and 25', supported on the bed table 8, Figs. 1 and '1. Mounted on said shaft 24 is a sprocket 28 which, through a chain 21, drives a sprocket 28 on a shaft 32. A gear 29 is also mounted on said shaft 24 and meshes with gear 38 on shaft 32, on which shaft 32 are two clutch mechanisms, as 38 and 3|. 3 3, on shaft 32, is connected by means of sprocket chain 34 to sprocket 35, on shaft 39. The shaft 32 is supported at its opposite ends by means of bearings 38 and 31, supported in the lframe structure. Also mounted on shaft 39 is a smaller sprocket 38 connected to a sprocket 48 by a sprocket chain 4|, on shaft 42. The shaft 39 also carries a gear 43, which meshes witha gear 43, on shaft 44, supported in bearings at 45 and 48 in the frame structure as indicated Fig. '7. Slidably keyed'to the shaft 44 is a gear 4l, constituting means for operating a rack 49, on the under side of a movable table 48, adapted to be moved longitudinally back and forth, that is from its ink receiving position to its printing position. Said table 48 is provided with stops.

Positioned to engage with and operate a lever end 58, at the upper end of lever 5I, said lever 58 being connected by means of a link 52 having a slotted head 53, having on one side a roller 55, positioned to -be engaged by a cam 54 yon shaft 42, Fig. 7. Connected with said lever 5| is also an arm 58' connected with a clutchv shifting fork 59 for operating the clutches 88 and 3| to control the movement of the table 48. When clutch 3| is engaged, the rotation of gear 41 is reversed, thereby moving the ack 49 and the table 48 into inklng position. As a means for manually moving said vertical lever 3| to control the direction of movement of the printing table 48, a handle 58 is pivotally mounted in the frame and eqnnected by means of a rod 58 to said lever 8|, as seen in Fig. 1. Gear 41 slidably keyed to shaft 44, is movable out of mesh with the rack 48, on theprinting table, by means of a fork 8|, on shaft 88, provided with two stop collars 84 and 85, thus making it possible to disconnect the printing table from the gear 41 so that said table can be moved by hand back and forth for any desired purpose. Said shifting shaft 88 is slidably mounted in two upright members 82 and 83' on A sprocket the side members 82 and 83,I Fig. 7. A shaft is also mounted through the frame members 82 and 83, and is provided with a fork 88 for operating a clutch 89, on shaft 39, for disengaging the sprocket 38 from the shaft 39, at will. Said shifting shafts 88 and 81 are provided on their outer ends -with suitable handles, vas 88. Mounted on shaft 42 is a cam 18, engaged by a roller 1|, on `a lever'12, the upper end of which is connected with shaft 13. Shaft 42 is constantly driven and constitutes a means .for arresting the forwardI movement of the printing table 48, by the operation of the cam 54 coming in engagement with roller on link head 53, through which vertical lever 5| is moved to operate the clutches 38 and 3|. vAs the cam 18, on shaft 42 is rotated therewith, it operates to rock shaft 13, which is connected by means of arms 18 and 19 at its opposite ends, and links 88 and 8|, with the upright end members 14 and 15, slidably mounted on the base members 'I8 and 11, secured to the side frame members and 2, as seen in Fig. l. These end members 14 and 15 support a cross member 82'on which are mounted fittings for conducting paint to banding or striping mechanisms, as 83, through hose 84, see Figs. 2 and 8. In Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of one of these banding or striping Amechanisms. Also supported between Ythe end members 'I4 and 15 15 is a slotted cross member 85, adjustably secured in said members 14 and 15 by means of clips or brackets 88 and 81, in the slots, as at 88.

Referring to Fig. 8, the banding or striping.

mechanisms include a cylinder 83, secured to a base member 90, by means of supporting bands 9| and 92, said cylinder 83 being provided at one end with a hose connection 84to receive hose 84, Fig. 3. The opposite end of said cylinder is provided with a screw cap 95, to which is properly secured a head 98, with a feed wheel 91, with a thumb or set screw 98 for adjusting the parts to regulate the flow of paint. '111e wheel 91 is in constant contact with the article to be banded or striped and serves to draw out the paint from the tube 83 and to apply itv to said article. The base plate 98 -isslidably secured in a\ supporting base |88, having end pieces as |8I and |82, secured in place by screws |83. Two-pins, as |84, are set in said end pieces and provided with springs, as |85, which engage the end platev |8| and also bear against the inside of themember 98, for yieldingly moving said member 98 and the band-- ing tube 83. toward the work or article. The members 98 and |88 are provided with slot-ways, as at |81 and |88, to receive athrough bolt |89, used for securing the banding mechanism as a whole to the slotted cross member 85, before described. Y

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown I two vacuum-cups or holding members 22 and 23. Vacuum cup or head 22 is secured to the end of a sleeve H4', in a bearing ||5, vwhich is slidably mounted in the frame member I'. The position of this bearing can be varied by means of a vscrew I8, terminating in a base ||1, and upward pressure is applied to said bearing ||5 by means of a spring H8, held over a pin ||9, set in the frame Mounted on said sleeve ||4' is a sprocket wheel ||8, held slidably in relationship by means of a set screw i8', said sleeve having a key-wayvor slideway therein so that it can be moved ,longitudinally through said bearing and said sprocket, said sprocket having thereon the sprocket chain ||3 which also runs over sprocket ||2, Figs. 1, 2 and '1, the slack in said chain I3 gaging with said chain in a well known manner.

Incased in the tube ||4 is a hollow tube or pipe |20, having its end made to seat within the shank of the cup or member` 22, and form a ground t, as at |2|. Pressure is vprovidedlby means of a spring |22, bearing against the opposite end of said tube or pipe |20, withy a collar |23 on said pipe, and all enclosed in a. closure cap or member |24, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5. The hose 20, .hereinbefore referred to, is connected by means of the pipe fittings |25, for applying the suction created to the vacuum cup 22, the hose being secured in place by clamp |26, or inany desired manner.

\ ber is regulated by the screw member |35, seat- Y The vacuum cup 23 is pressed on to a sleeve or tube |21, in a bearing bushing |28, in a lbearing member |29, slidably mounted `in the frame member 2', ina similar manner to bearing H5. A sprocket wheel |3| is secured on said tube by means of a screw |30, said sprocket being driven by chain |32 from sprocket |33 on drive shaft 39.

`Slack in said chain |32 is taken up by a. quadrant |34, with roller on, as before described, Fig. 4. The position of the vacuum cup or holding meming in a base |36-on the bearing member |29. Upward pressure is kept constant by means of a spring |31, entered in` a pin |38, whichis pressed into the frame 2'. Both of the cups or members 22 and 23 are revolved in the same direction, and at the same speed. Encased in the tube |21 is a pipe or tubular member |39 which seats at its inner end in the cup body, as at L40, and is held constantly in its seat by means of a spring |4|,

bearing against a collar |42, and all enclosed in a cap |43, as beforedescribed for theother side of the holding mechanism. Hose 2| is secured to pipe fittings |44 by means of a clamp |45. Collars |41 and |48 are mounted on and keyed to the member |21, as seen in Figs. 6 and `2. A fork |49, forming the upper part of a lever |49', ,fits over the collar` |41, as shown, and is operable through a, foot vlever |46, connected therewith,

through a link |46', said levers being yieldingly held in normal positions as shown by means of a spring |50. If it is desired to mov'e the cup 23 outwardly, it is only necessary todepress the foot pedal |46, which operates through the connections to lever fork |49 to move said tubular memyber |21^and said vacuum cup 23 outwardly, or to the right as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

The carrier or printing table 48 is providedy along its opposite sides with rollers, as |54, positioned to run in the tracks |55 and |56, along the top of the frame structure. i

In case it is desired to relieve the vacuum applied to the cups 22 and 2`3, the valve terminal at I8 is connected to a foot pedal |5I, by means of a rod |52, on which is a coiled spring |53, no'rmally holding said rod up and'said valve at I8 closed. f

Mounted on the top opposite sides of thetable 48, are two cam rails', as |59 and |59 onone side and`|60 and |60' on the opposite side, as will `be understood from Fig. 3, showing how ink rollers are raised from one level to another as the table is moved back and forth. Two ink plates |51 and `|58 are rotatably vsupported in suitable bearings ll and |62, respectively, with ratchet portions |65 and |66, to be operated by means of rsaY spring |61. 'Ihe plate is turned approximately to engage the same intermittently as hereinafter described. f a

Mounted at opposite sides of the frame structure are two pairs oi?v ink] roller holders, and

|12, andv |1|` and |13, as seen in Fig. 1 one of each side being seen inFig. 3. 'I'he inking rollers |11 andl |18 are mounted in suitable bearings to .move up and down in said holders, with spring and screw means, as at |14, |15, |16, and |11', whereby said rollers areyieldingly held down in their lower positions but can be raised by having their'opposite ends, constructed Vto run on the a side rails |59 land |60, whereby said rollers can be raised out of the plane of the plates |51 and |58 as the table 48 moves back and forth. This is 'necessary when the plates have ink of different colors thereon, to prevent a roller of one color from engaging a plate having another color there- Referring to Figs'. 10 and 14 inclusive, I will describe a slightly modified structure for han dling the inking rollers. Mounted on the oppoA site frame members and 2, are two supports or bearing holders, |80 and |8|, for the bearing members |82 and |83, in which is mounted a shaft |04, on which is an ink `roller |85. The purpose of this ink roller is to engage with roller 86, which receives ink from the reservoir |81, and to receive therefrom a. supply ofink which it transfers to the plate '|51 as it moves thereunder. Roller |11 is then inked from said plate with the color of ink applied to that particular plate. The roller |85 and its shaft |84 have the wheels |88 thereon in position to run on the tracks |59 and |60, respectively, and also serves to rotate said roller |85 and distribute the ink upon the plate. The ink reservoir is designated |89, and itsends are formed into bearings |90 and |9| to hold the ends of the roller |86. An even flow of ink to the roller |86 on the ink plate |92, is made possible by adjustment screws as |93.

In Figure 13, the rollers are shown in their normal positions, but as the table 48 moves forwardly, the rollers will follow on the rail or track |60 and drop down and roller |84 will distribute ink on the plate |51, thus furnishing a supply of ink to said plate forroller |11, which in turn will ink the printing mechanism, or that portieriv thereof to receive its color of ink.

In Fig. '14, as the table 48 moves backward to the end of its travel, the roller |84 is in .Contact with roller |86, the supply roller, and as the wheels |88 follow the side rails or tracks |60, the rollers |84 and .|11 will return to the positions as shown in Figure 13 and finally to the distributing position. The roller |86 is rotated by means 'of an arm. |95, Fig. 112, coming in engagementwith'a stop |98 as table 48 moves forward. Keyed tothe roller and shaft |86 is a ratchet mechanism |91 and a pawl |96, for operating the roller |86 intermittently as the printing table moves forwardly and backwardly.` y

Thus Il have provided a mechanism by means of which an article canbe held in a printing posi-Av tion, and a table movable back and forth with printing means thereon to be applied .'to said V article, moves to an inking position and then to a printing position where the imprint is made upon the article being held. If the article is round, it is so mounted-and held that it will revolve with. I have also provided adjustment meansY whereby said holding members for the article to be printed can be adjusted laterally, vertically in the embodiment illustrating the invention. The printing mechanism is designated F on the carrier table 48 and this, ci' course, can be any suitable .holding frame and any combination of design or other data or insignia to be printed on the article. 'Ihe holding members are movable to receive and hold the'article and this is accomplished by the foot lever |48 and its connections with lever |49 and |49'. I have also shown the holding members in the form of vacuum cups, with means for applying suction thereto to assist in holding the article therebetween, although 'it will be understood that these holding members can be made otherwise to clamp the article therebetweeny and to this end they are normally urged toward each other by the lever |49 and its spring It will be understood that the motor M drives the operating mechanism for moving the carrier table 4l back and forth in the manner described; that the. ink plates and the distributing rollers operate as said table moves under said rollers and that the lnk applying rollers are moved up and down by the varying tracks or rails |59 and |60, as before describm, so as to apply diii'erent colors of ink to different portions of the printing means o n the carrier table 48.

While I have shown and described one practical embodiment of my invention, I am aware that many changes in the details of construction and arrangement can be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not, therefore, limit my invention to the showing made, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims constituting a part of this application. I claim:

1. A machine for printing on articles of glass, pottery and the like and including in combination a supporting structure, means thereon for receiving and holding an article to be printed, a printing table with printing means thereon, means f or moving said table and printing means into and out of a printing position, said printing means engaging said article as said table is moved into. printing position, and means for applying ink to coextensivc but different portions of said printing means seriatim during its movement in one direction.

2. A machine for printing on articles of glass, pottery and the like and including in combination a supporting structure, means thereon for receiving and rotatably holding an article to be.

printed, a printing table' with printing means thereonmovable into engagement with a surface on said article as the latter turns, means for moving said table and printing means, and ink applying means for applying ink to coextensive but Idifferent portions of said printing means on Y. said table seriatim.

4. A machine for printing on articles of glass,

amasar pottery and the like and including in combination a supporting structure, means thereon for receiving and holding in printing position an article to be printed, a printing table with printing means thereon and movable back and forth in a horizontal course of travel, means for moving said table and printing means back and forth, means for applying ink to coextensive but different portions of said printing means on said table seriatim as it moves in one direction, and means whereby said article and the printing means on said table are moved together during" the movement of said table back and forth on its course of travel. v

5. A machine for printing on round articles of glass, pottery and the like, and including in combination a supporting structure, means for rotatably holding the article to be printed, a carrier table with printing' means thereon movably mounted on said structure, means for moving said table and printing means back and forth in proximity to said article, whereby said article is engaged by and revolved with the movement of said table and printing means, and means for applying ink to coextensive but diilerentportions of said printing means seriatim during its movement in one direction.

6. A machine for printing on round articles of glass, pottery and the like and including in conbination a supporting structure, means for rotatably holding the article to be printed, a carrier table with printing .means thereon movably mounted on said structure, said printing means being adapted to be moved into engagement with said article with a rolling motion of the article, means for moving said table and printing means back and forth on a horizontal way, and means for applying ink in different colors to coextensive but different portions of said printing means seriatim.

"7. In a machine of the character referred to, means for holding an article by its opposite ends, said means being revoluble, a carrier table with printing means thereon movable in proximity to said article, whereby the printing means engages and turns said article in printing thereon as said table is moved, means for moving said table back and forth, means for applying ink to coextensive but diilerent portions of said printing means seriatim as it moves in one direction, and means f for operating said holding means to open and close the same to receive the article to be printed. 8. A machine for printing directly on round larticles of glass and the like and consisting of a supporting structure, two axially spaced holding members revolubly mounted, one of said members being movable axially to close upon the article to be printed, means for revolving said holding members, means for adjusting said members together laterally, a printing mechanism movable into printing engagement with said article between said holding members, the engagement of said printing mechanism with said article being synchronized with the turning of said article, whereby the printing is done during the turning thereof, and means for applying ink to coextensive but different portions of said printing mechanism seriatim.

9. A machine for printing articles of glass,

pottery and the like and including a supporting structure, two holding members mounted thereon and spaced axially to receive therebetween the articles tobe printed, one of said members vbeing movable axially, said members being in the form of vacuum cups, means for applying suction to-v members to,V assist in .holding kthe article therebetween, said holding members being adjustably mounted for adjustment laterally, a carrier table movable back and forth in proximity to said article and said holding members, means for moving the same, printing means on said table and positioned to be moved into printing engagement with said article between said holding members, and means for applying ink to said printing mechanism.

10. A machine for" printing round articles of glass, pottery and the like and including incombination a supporting structure, two holding members revolubly mounted thereon and spaced axially to receive therebetween an article to be printed, said members -being in the form ofr vacuum' cups, means for applying suction to said cups, means for revolving said holding members and said article, a carrier table movable back and forth in proximity to said article, means for moving the same, printing means on said table, means for applying ink to said printing` means, and means synchronizing the movement of said table and said printing means and the turning of said article to successfully print said article during the turning thereof in engagement Wi-th said printing mechanism. l i

11. In a printing apparatus,-a printing member, means to reciprocate said member in a predetermined path, and a plurality of inking means torespectively apply ink to different portions of said printing member during its movement in one direction.

to respectively apply ink to different portions of saidprinting member seriatim during its movement in one direction. A

14. In a printing apparatus, a printing member, means to reciprocate said member in a predetermined path, and a plurality of inking means spaced along said path to respectively apply ink to different portions of said printing member seriatim during its movement in one direction.

FREDERICK SHURLEY 

